Christmas Planet
by AmyBella88
Summary: Set six months after "Doomsday," the Doctor breaks through the void into Pete's World at Christmastime. He sweeps Rose away in the TARDIS to a little planet full of the Christmas spirit. With all this yuletide magic, will they finally give in and take their relationship to the next level? Major fluff warning...
1. Chapter 1- A Bright Idea

**Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, the BBC does, I'm just messing about with them for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours.**

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The Doctor has been desperately searching for a way back to her. He is haunted by those words he never said at Bad Wolf Bay, and is determined to break through the void no matter the cost. But how? He slams his fists onto the TARDIS console in frustration. Immediately he feels a pinch in the back of his mind from the TARDIS, her indignation telepathically transmitted.

"Sorry, Old Girl…" The Doctor says, as he rubs one of her coral struts. The engines hum in begrudging satisfaction. Still, there must be a way to get back to Pete's World. He decides to set the circuits for Earth, Rose's time, even though she won't be there. It's the only thing he can think to do, the closest he can get to the woman he still loves.

Of course, wherever and whenever the doctor goes, trouble seems to follow. While wandering around the Tyler's old estate, he picks up some strange vibrations. Despite his loneliness, he has remained ever inquisitive and follows the disturbance to a major London hospital. It all culminates with yet another dangerous adventure, this time with a girl called Martha Jones, and a run in with the Rhino-headed Judoon.

Martha is adventurous and bright, but she clearly fancies the doctor. He almost decides to ignore the fact and take her on as a companion, just to ease the pain of being alone in the TARDIS. But then he thinks again of his Rose, and knows that Martha's flirting will only remind him of what he has lost.

The hospital safely returned to earth, Martha and the Doctor stand on the sidewalk surveying each other.

"So…" says Martha.

"So!" responds the doctor with a briskness signifying it is time to take flight once more.

"I guess this is goodbye, then?" Martha asks, whilst batting her eyelashes a little too obviously.

"Yep!" the doctor says, trying not to encourage her.

"Back to traveling then? All alone?"

"Uh huh. Well… I wasn't always alone. You see had this companion, well, I've had lots of them really. Well what I mean to say is…" the doctor babbles. He wants Martha to know once and for all that his heart will always belong to Rose, and even though they have just escaped death together, nothing she says or does can change that. "This girl, well woman really, who traveled with me... Rose, her name was, Rose… You see we were sort of, well we were together. I mean…"

"Together? Like, how'd ya mean, together?" interrupts Martha.

"Well, you know, together. We were always together. I mean not _always_, obviously."

"Did you love her?" Martha asks bluntly. The doctor realized he would have to be direct so Martha would stop coming on to him once and for all. Still he couldn't say the words to someone else, when he hadn't even said them properly to Rose.

"I would die for her." He answers, hoping that Martha has finally gotten the message. The doctor is sorry to hurt the girl, but is relieved all the same when her face drops in disappointment, finally getting the jist.

"Wish I had a bloke like that, somebody who would give his life for me…" says Martha dejectedly.

"Someone who would give his life", the doctor runs her words over in his mind. Give his life… Give his life… Give his lives!

"That's it!" shouts the doctor. "Gah! It's so obvious! Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Doctor, what? Think of what before? What are you on about?"

"Martha, you're brilliant, you are! Absolutely brilliant!" In his excitement the doctor grabs Martha and kisses her bang on the mouth, then turns at top speed and runs for the TARDIS. As the light starts flashing and the blue box dematerializes, Martha is left standing there jaw hanging open. As the TARDIS disappears completely, she shakes her head in disbelief and walks off with a bewildered smile at the attractive, but completely mental alien.

**Thanks for sticking with me! The next chapter will be up soon.**


	2. Chapter 2- Crossing Over

It was simple really. Of course he would give anything to be back with Rose again, he just hadn't thought… it hadn't even occurred to him. But yes, he could easily re-route his regenerative energy into the vortex manipulator, it was just a matter of a little re-wiring. Of course it would be painful… probably the most painful thing he had ever experienced if he was honest. Apart from losing Rose that is. But of course he would do it.

Once he began the process of transferring the golden haze of energy, the natural reaction would take over and it would all be ripped away from his body. The vortex would absorb every last bit of it, but the process would forever link Pete's World to the universe the doctor currently inhabited. Sort of like creating a wormhole, the TARDIS would then be able to travel freely between both universes, allowing the doctor to reunite with Rose but also for Rose to return to see her family in Pete's world anytime.

Of course it would mean that all of the doctor's remaining lives would be obliterated. He would most likely live a little bit longer than the average human life-span, being unable to prevent a natural death with the energy he sacrificed. Would he still be a time lord, without the ability to regenerate? He considered the question. Of course, he would. "I'll still be the same old doctor!" he chided himself. "I'll still have got two hearts, telepathy, time-sense, and a TARDIS. Who else can say that?" No one of course, as the doctor was the very last of his ancient race. If he were to be mortally wounded though… But he wouldn't think of that now. He focused his mind on the task at hand, setting the controls for that alternate London, where zeppelins coasted overhead.

Everything was ready. The time circuits had been rewired. The vortex was ready to receive the energy. He could do it now. He could cross through the void. The doctor took a deep breath to steady himself. He was shaking slightly, half in excitement from the anticipation of seeing Rose again, half in fear of the daunting process he was about to undertake. "Do it now." He commanded himself. He extended his arms toward a glowing metal plate he had attached to the console. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, he placed both hands palm down onto the plate, and instantly they were stuck fast. A flash of bright light filled the doctor's mind, along with a ripping, tearing sensation that was beyond description. He had never felt anything like it. It was pain that not only consumed his body, but his thoughts, and his very soul. A stream of images flashed in front of his eyes. They were faces, all male. Unrecognizable faces, yet somehow all terribly familiar. Each face showed him a man he might have been. All the future regenerations that would never come to be were flying by, being sacrificed to the void. The doctor realized, with a wrench, that he was killing these would-be versions of himself before they had a chance to live. But then, at the exact point when he knew he could tolerate the pain no longer, a new face appeared. Rose's face. Beaming from ear to ear, her image blocked out all of the others. She would be his reality now. His heart filled with the deepest love, as the last bit of regenerative energy was sapped away. His hands were abruptly released, and the doctor collapsed unconscious onto the floor of the TARDIS control room.


	3. Chapter 3- Chips and a Surprise

The doctor groaned, as he opened his eyes just a crack. His body was stiff, and he was having trouble remembering exactly how he had gotten himself into his current position. His face was pressed up against a grate staring down to the lower level of the TARDIS control room. He slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Blimey," he thought to himself "That was a little rockier than I supposed it would be… Then again, things don't always seem to go quite to plan in my life."

Suddenly he remembered what all of this aching and unpleasantness had been for. Rose! Had it worked? The doctor rushed to check the screen of the vortex minder. Yes! Yes, there it was, the path between the universes. He could see on the monitor how time particles flowed around the tunnel he had created. Now it was only a matter of setting the circuits to the right date and he would be in Pete's world.

At the thought of seeing Rose again, the residual pain the doctor had felt was forgotten. Rose! He would see Rose again! And the first thing he would do was take her in his arms. Now that the pathway was finally open, the urge to hold her was almost overpowering. The doctor needed to feel his Rose, needed to press his body against hers, feeling her solidity and her softness. He needed to know she was real. It had been agony for both of them on that beach in Norway, seeing each other but being unable to touch. The doctor planned to drown that memory by touching Rose as much as she would let him now. He flipped switches and banged the console a few times with his mallet for good measure in preparation for flight. He was about to pull the lever that would send the TARDIS hurtling through the vortex towards his love, when he paused. What if Rose had forgotten him? The thought hadn't occurred to the doctor until this very moment. Of course she hadn't forgotten him, he chided himself. But what if she didn't want to see him? Did she blame him for everything that had happened those agonizing months ago? A kind of fear that the doctor rarely felt made his hearts feel like ice in his chest. Still, there was nothing to be done but to go to Rose and find out. He only hoped that she needed him as much as he needed her… The doctor grasped the lever and pulled hard sending the TARDIS spinning off into space and into the unknown future.

Rose was walking down the high street of town looking dazedly at the many colored lights strung between the lamp posts. How could it be Christmas? She asked herself silently. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday as a child. To be honest, she still got excited about all those little Christmas treats and traditions that made this time of year so special. Although, she had gone off the whole Christmas tree thing since that time she, Mum, and Mickey were almost killed by one planted in their flat by creepy masked aliens. But still, Rose had always felt little bubbles of excitement at each sign that Christmas was coming. Thinking back, that Christmas when the Sycorax invaded had turned out all right in the end. It was her first Christmas with the new doctor. She had been worried about his regeneration up until then, but Christmas Day was the first time she really felt that her doctor was the same man. Of course she had loved the old doctor, but she had to admit, his new body was rather fit. Not to mention his face, with those cute dimples. And that gorgeous, thick hair that just begged her to run her fingers through it…

"You alright, love?" A man carrying several shopping bags stopped to ask her.

"Yeah, m'fine." Rose mumbled, awakening from her daydream. She had momentarily forgotten where she was and got lost thinking about her doctor. But he was the one who was lost, Rose thought. Lost to her forever. The hollow feeling inside her chest that Rose had been carrying around for months abruptly returned. The man with the bags just shook his head and walked off. As a tonic for her flagging spirits, Rose decided to get some chips. Chips always made everything better. She stared at the sidewalk glumly as she marched towards the chip shop. She didn't even bother to look up at the decorated zeppelins floating by overhead that flashed red and green.

"The usual?" The man at the counter asked, knowing Rose from her many other visits.

"Yeah." Rose answered, thinking that if somehow she ever did see the doctor again, she'd be big as a house, and he probably wouldn't want her anyway. She sighed. The man handed her a greasy paper bag full of fried potatoes, and Rose started to nibble one sullenly as she got out the pound notes to pay. But then, she heard a familiar noise. A rhythmic, sort of wheezing noise that made her think of only one thing. It couldn't be… could it? Without bothering to count them, she grabbed the entire wad of notes in her wallet and threw them at the cashier.

"Oy!" she heard the man shout from behind her, but she ignored him and ran out the door. There it was, on the sidewalk right in front of her. She blinked hard to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but when she opened her eyes the blue box was still there. Before she could react, the door flew open with a squeak and out stepped the doctor. She ran towards him, flinging her chips away, caring about nothing but reaching him. She threw herself into his arms, and he held her fast against him. She couldn't help it, tears flowed from her eyes and she was sobbing into the doctor's chest. He soothed her, stroking her hair, her back, any part of her that he could reach. It felt so good, so terribly good, to reconnect like this. No words were needed. Though they didn't know it, both Rose and the doctor where thinking the exact same thought: "I'm home."

She still couldn't get over it. The doctor, here, in Pete's world, in her parents' flat. Rose had nearly given her mother a heart attack when she and the doctor turned up in the TARDIS and landed the thing right in the kitchen. Of course, after the initial shock wore off, Jackie was thrilled for her daughter. It had hurt her to see Rose so depressed since that terrible day when she was trapped on this side of the void. She hadn't known what to do for her daughter. It was all so complicated, what with the doctor being a bloody alien time-traveler and everything. Jackie had been prepared to give advice about blokes like Jimmy and Mickey, but what did she know about time lord romance? All in all, she just hoped the Doctor would never leave Rose again, but by the looks of him now it didn't seem like that was going to be a worry. Jackie had never seen the doctor like this before. She had always suspected him of having more than friendly feelings for her daughter, but now he was practically dumbstruck, always staring at Rose so tenderly, ignoring everything else, and never letting go of her hand. It may not be official, but by the looks of things Jackie was convinced that marriage couldn't be too far behind. Well, marriage or whatever it was aliens did.

The doctor stared at Rose hungrily. He felt he could spend the rest of his lives just watching her. Life, he corrected himself, one life. He hadn't quite gotten used to this new human-like mortality. At least now he could spend his whole existence with Rose, the one person who made his life meaningful. Well, he hoped he could spend his life with her. Things had gone well since his arrival, but he didn't want to jump to any conclusions. Rose had been affectionate and clearly happy to see him, but that was pretty typical of her. It didn't mean that she wanted their relationship to be more than just companionship. He knew she had confessed to loving him at Bad Wolf Bay, but they had never had time to talk about that. Maybe she meant platonic love. The doctor hoped not, but he couldn't be sure. Not yet.

Rose squeezed the doctor's hand tightly. She wouldn't let go, wouldn't lose him again. She wanted to nuzzle into his chest, like she had done when she was crying, but didn't know how he would react when she was clearly motivated by longing instead of distress. What where his feelings for her? Did he want her for a friend or something else? She had told him she loved him, but he never said it back. She had thought he was about to, but then the feed cut off and she just didn't know. Maybe he wasn't going to say those words at all. The doctor did have a habit of randomly tumbling into off-topic musings. Perhaps he was going to tell her about some random alien species with no noses, or how a part of the TARDIS worked. She never knew where the doctor was going to end up when he started talking. Despite her uncertainty about their relationship on a romantic level, Rose was sure that the doctor cared about her. The most important thing, she reminded herself, is that he's here. That's all that really matters.

The doctor was hesitant to bring up the idea of heading off an adventure right away. He didn't want to push Rose. Her life had been relatively stable for the last half year, and he didn't know how she would feel about just jetting off in the TARDIS right away, especially now at Christmas. But it turned out that the doctor didn't have to ask at all. It was Jackie who mentioned it.

"Well, I suppose you two will be off traveling again soon as you catch your breath." She said. "Normally, I wouldn't allow you to go gallivanting off at Christmas time, but just this once I suppose…" The doctor held his breath, wondering how Rose would react.

"Don't you give me a hard time, Mum! I know you are perfectly delighted to send me off with the doctor, and don't pretend you aren't! I know you and Dad would be happier to spend your first holiday together without me butting in."

"Well," started Jackie with a guilty smile, "That's not entirely true, Rose. We're your parents and we'd always be happy to have you here. Now that you mention it though, Pete did say something about a package holiday for couples that we could go on… Well, I guess it has all worked out rather perfectly!"

"So that's settled then." said the doctor. "Jackie, you and Pete can go on holiday, and Rose can spend Christmas with me. I know just the place to go!" Rose beamed at the doctor, and he grinned back cheekily. He couldn't wait to show her a new planet, and she would willingly follow him anywhere in the universe.


	4. Chapter 4- Welcome to Christmas Planet

**Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up, Thanksgiving holiday and all. Thanks so much for reading this far! Please review to let me know how I'm doing. :) Thanks!**

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The first thing Rose noticed as the TARDIS door swung open was the smell. The crisp, wintery scent of evergreen trees filled her nostrils. She hopped out of the doorway and landed with a muffled crackle into a powdery bank of ankle-deep snow.

"Ah! Snow, proper snow!" exclaimed the doctor, climbing out right behind her. Rose giggled, and began to take in her surroundings. They were in a forest of fir trees, but unlike the trees of earth, these seemed to grow their own decorations. They twinkled in the dim light as if covered in hidden strings of holiday lights. The snow was draped over each branch like swaths of lace, and shimmering icicles dangled like delicate blown glass ornaments. The sky was a dusky blue, and it appeared to be evening because the firsts few stars were beginning to appear in the heavens. The forest floor was covered in a blanket of snow, and it showed the tracks of the birds and small animals of this planet that had hopped and scurried to and fro. Rose looked in curiosity to see what the alien woodland inhabitants looked like, but it seemed that they were sleeping in their winter burrows now. She spied a path that wound through the trees not very far away from where the TARDIS had landed. The doctor grabbed Rose's hand and cheerily called out "Allons-y!" as he led her toward the cobblestone route.

As they made their way through the enchanted forest, Rose realized that she felt like skipping. She giggled at her own exuberance, she was just so thrilled to be here with the doctor. She pictured skipping down the path and saw herself slipping and ending up with an over-protective doctor hauling her off to the med bay, ending the adventure before it had even started. Rose decided to play it safe and wait on the whole skipping thing. Instead she linked arms with doctor and held on tight.

In a few moments the doctor and Rose emerged from the wood and found themselves on the crest of a small hill. They looked down into the valley below and spied a cluster of little houses and buildings with lighted windows. Chimneys puffed smoke into the chilly air. The cobbled path descended right into the heart of the town, but just off to the left of was a wooden sign advertising "Sled Rentals, Twenty-Five Credits." The doctor looked at Rose and raised his eyebrow in that ever-so-mischievous way of his. She grinned nodding enthusiastically back, and the couple leaped off the path in pursuit of a sled.

A few steps past the sign they came upon what could have been a little kid's lemonade stand, except instead of lemons there was a pile of old-fashioned wooden sleds, and instead of a child there was a small, bearded man with mint-green skin.

"Hello!" chirped the doctor. The man looked up from counting sleds in surprise. Rose noticed that the green man was dressed head to toe in what looked like footie pajamas made of leather and lined with thick white fur.

"Good Even to you my Lord, and Good Even to you my Lady. Would you be customers, then?" asked the man in an accent that was somewhere between Welsh and Old English.

"Yep! Customers, that's us!" quipped the doctor.

"Most excellent, my Lord! The last of the day, you'll be. I was just closing up the booth. Not too many come along after the suns have left the heavens. Shall it be a sled apiece, or were you desiring to ride together?"

"Together" Rose and the doctor both said at the same time. The sled vendor raised his eyebrows and smiled. His eyes seemed to sparkle with cheeky understanding, and Rose blushed.

"Right! Together it will be then M'lord and M'lady." He said and hauled out a large sled made of some kind of dark polished wood. He set it down on the snow and gestured towards it, indicating that the doctor and Rose should board.

The doctor handed the little man the unlimited credit stick he always kept in one of his trans-dimensional pockets. The man scanned the stick and handed back to the doctor. "Many thanks, good sir."

"C'mon, Rose!" the doctor said as he swung he around, plunking her down at the front of the magnificent sled. He swung his one of his long legs over and scooted himself up against Rose's back. They both sighed at the close contact. He reached around her and picked up the leather reigns causing the jingle bells attached to ring merrily. Rose turned her head slightly.

"Doctor, I forgot to ask, where exactly are we anyways?" The doctor smiled and planted his feet firmly on the sides of the sled.

"Rose Tyler," he said, "welcome to Christmas Planet!" And with that he pushed the sled straight off of the slippery curve of the hill, sending them whooshing down towards the warm light of the village below.


	5. Chapter 5- A Meeting Under the Mistletoe

**Thanks for sticking with me so far. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! Reviews are lovely :) Thanks!**

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Rose and the doctor strolled hand in hand down the cobbled main street of town. They both sported pink cheeks and big grins from their brisk ride down the hill. It was starting to flurry now, and the doctor lovingly admired his companion. Rose had never looked more adorable than now with her hair windswept and snowflakes delicately kissing her face. She turned her head from side to side, not knowing what to look at first. The street was charming. Everything, from the curved iron streetlamps to the latticed windowpanes, was just a bit smaller than it would have been on Earth. Many of the shops were adorned with old-timey hanging signs depicting what was to be found inside. A roast goose for the butchers, a Christmas cookie for the bakers and so on. Some of the houses were half-timbered, giving the village an almost Bavarian look. Rose could picture it all being made out of gingerbread.

The doctor loved Christmas planet. On every other occasion that he had visited he had run around like a kid in a candy store, but this time was different. Instead of his usual frantic enthusiasm, he felt calm. He was perfectly happy to go slowly, seeing everything through Rose's eyes. Her delight was all he craved from this visit, and she was clearly delighted. The doctor felt peaceful in a way he rarely did, like he could allow himself to slow down, like it was okay to stop running.

"Doctor?" Rose was asked with a puzzled look on her face, "Where is everybody?"

"That," replied the doctor "is a very good question, Miss Tyler. The Yulians are known for being quite extraverted…"

"Excuse me? The who?"

"Yulians," the doctor informed her, "they're called Yulians, the people of this planet."

"Oh, right." responded Rose.

The deserted street was a very odd sight to behold, thought the doctor. Where could everyone be? The other times he had visited, the doctor had always been greeted by lots of friendly natives who were all extremely outgoing. The doctor's mouth turned down into a thoughtful frown as he considered this abrupt change in the planet's inhabitants. His time-lord brain immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusions, imagining Christmas Planet to be under the oppression of alien conquerors or perhaps the population had been decimated by some sort of festive plague… He pulled out his trusty sonic screw driver and began scanning the various energy currents of the alien atmosphere. Rose on the other hand, being a human, simply looked around. She quickly discovered the whereabouts of the townspeople, while the doctor was still lost in his complex measurements.

"Oh, there they are!" she exclaimed.

"What? Where?" stammered the doctor.

"Right over there!" said Rose, "They're all in that meeting house, or whatever. Look, they're starting to come out now. Guess the meeting's over."

"Oh." Said the doctor, a little miffed that Rose had spotted the obvious while he had failed to, despite his superior brain. "Right!" he said, recovering himself. "Let's go say 'Hello,' shall we?"

"'Kay."

They made their way through the town's main square towards the doors of the large building where everyone was gathered. Like the sled vendor, some of the people were wearing one-piece suits lined with fur, and about half of the crowd had pale green skin. The other half had light red, almost pink, complexions. Rose commented on the varied skin tones to the doctor. She had supposed they would all be green, like the little man they had met.

"Oh yes," explained the doctor knowledgably, "they have just the two races on Christmas Planet, Red and Green. Actually, early in their history there was some unrest between the two groups; Reds and Greens stuck to their own kind and all that. But that's been over for a hundred years, at least." He continued. "Now nobody bothers about what color they are. Everybody just lives together in peace. Reds and Greens can socialize and get married and everything."

"Huh," Rose considered this bit of information. "Wish we were like that on Earth, not caring about skin color." She was thinking back to some rude comments she had gotten occasionally when she had been dating Mickey.

"Quite right." Responded the doctor in agreement. They made their way through the crowd as the last few people were leaving the meeting hall. Several of those gathered around took an interest in the doctor and Rose, regarding them with a friendly sort of air. The inhabitants of Christmas Planet were not unaccustomed to strangers, as their home was a very popular tourist destination in several galaxies. The little man who had been the last to leave the building stepped up to the doctor.

"Welcome to you good Sir and Madame!" he proclaimed heartily. "Am I correct in guessing that you are visitors to our home world of Yule?" He had the same unusual way of speaking as the other man they had met.

"Right-o!" said the doctor. "Just popped in for a bit of sight-seeing, me and Rose. Bit of the old Christmas cheer, and all that." The little man nodded, his suspicions confirmed. He was dressed very dapperly in corduroy trousers and a cheery red waistcoat that complimented his ruddy complexion. He appeared to be older than most of the other Yulians, Rose thought, mostly because of his particularly bushy white beard and some jolly looking lines around his twinkling eyes and the corners of his upturned mouth.

"The office for the tourism has now closed for the day," the little man informed the doctor. "so we will care for you and your miss until the dawn of the morrow."

The man ushered forward a white haired woman, whose green face was also crinkled with age lines. She wore a dress that looked to be made out of some kind of thick, gray felt and had reindeers embroidered around the hem.

"I am quite pleased to introduce my wife to you both. She is called Poinessta." He paused to give her a kiss on the cheek, and she giggled. "And you may call me Douglas." He concluded.

"Very nice to meet you both." Said Rose, and they all shook hands. Once the greetings were over, Poinessta turned and pointed down the street at a sign with a steaming mug.

"You must come and warm yourselves with beverages of local tradition!" she said happily. "Are you not chilled and thirstily in need of good brews?"

"I could do with a good brew, thanks." Rose answered her. The doctor nodded his assent. They all strolled together down the lane towards the pub. On closer inspection the cozy looking building was decorated quite extravagantly, with garlands of greenery and tinsel hanging from the eaves, and stepping stones shaped like peppermints leading to up to the door. The doctor had to stoop down when they all filed in, as the entrance was a bit smaller than he was used to. Both the doctor and Rose were surprised as the Douglas and Poinessta paused just inside the door and shared a rather passionate kiss. Once they parted, the couple turned their gaze on to Rose and the doctor, clearly waiting for them to kiss as well.

"Will you not smooch your Lady?" Douglas asked the doctor with incredulity.

"Er, come again?" The doctor sputtered, turning a shade of red himself.

"Perhaps you did not know that it is customary for partners to kiss upon entrance to one of our fine pubs…" inferred Poinessta. She pointed up to the ceiling where a bunch of mistletoe hung.

The whole party looked up at the bundle of meaningful greenery.

"C'mon then, Doctor." Rose spoke up, emboldened by the festive atmosphere. "One little kiss won't kill you…"

He tried to speak, but all that came out was a choking sound. Was she serious? Rose wanted him to kiss her? Here? The doctor wanted nothing more than to capture Rose's pouting lips with his own, but he questioned whether he had the self-control to stop there. His internal struggle was cut short, however, as Rose leaned in. The doctor couldn't resist her, and wouldn't deny her this. He reached up and placed his hand tenderly on her cheek and leant down, pressing his cool lips against her warm ones. It was like time stopped. Nothing else in the universe existed for the doctor and Rose in that moment. The whole pub could have fallen down around them, and they wouldn't have even noticed. The doctor deepened what began as a chaste kiss, the mingling of their desires urging him on. Rose parted her lips slightly, allowing his tongue access. They longingly explored the terrain of the other's mouth, until they were forced apart by their mutual need for air. Even with the added benefit of his respiratory bypass system, the doctor was breathing hard.

"Um…" Rose said quietly.

"Well…" the doctor whispered. They were both unsure of what to say. Clearly something important had just happened between them, but this wasn't quite the place to begin a discussion about it. Luckily, Douglas intervened saying,

"Now on to the drinks!" with a just a hint of a satisfied smirk on playing on his face.

"Yes, indeed!" concurred his wife, taking Rose by the hand and forcibly pulling her towards the oaken bar. The doctor followed helplessly. There were two large chalkboards hanging over the counter. The left listed an amazing variety of eggnog drinks, and the right held the menu for hot chocolates.

"Gosh!" Rose said in amazement at the offerings, momentarily forgetting her awkwardness.

"Christmas Greetings, to you all!" said the green-tinged barmaid. "And a special welcome to you, Mayor Douglas! We are pleased to serve such high a personage as yourself and your lovely wife."

"Oh, You're the Mayor!" said the doctor, grasping at this new subject. "I thought you looked, well, mayoral. The man in charge! Well, well, well…" he began to ramble.

"So you were the one leading that meeting, then?" Rose interrupted.

"Yes, indeed!" answered Douglas briskly. "We were pondering how best to use our town funds. This planet is experiencing quite an _economic boom_, as you say, from the credits brought to us from tourists such as yourselves." He gave a little bow at these words. "It is in our law that the townspeople must decide together how to spend, so all were assembled when you arrived."

"Aha! I knew there must be a good reason for the empty streets." The doctor proclaimed. With that mystery solved, they all settled down onto thickly cushioned stools and ordered drinks. Rose finally decided on a Venusian pumpkin flavored hot chocolate with whipped cinnamon cream. The doctor on the other hand favored a creamy eggnog concoction laced with rose petal syrup. It was one of the most delicious things he had ever tasted, but it paled in comparison to the sweet taste of his Rose's mouth; a taste he hoped to experience again if he was very lucky…


	6. Chapter 6- The Hotel Noel

It was dark outside by the time the merry little group had finished their thick, rich drinks. Mayor Douglas and Poinessta kindly offered to walk the doctor and Rose to what they guaranteed was the finest hotel in town. They gladly accepted the offer as Rose was getting sleepy and the doctor just wanted to be alone with his companion. They all said their goodbyes and Rose and the doctor walked through a brass revolving door into the lobby of the Hotel Noel. The lobby was so inviting that Rose was tempted to let herself sink into one of the worn leather couches and go to sleep on the spot. There was a fireplace with a blazing fire, and furniture of all different styles was arranged somewhat haphazardly around the hearth. The general affect was very homey, and provided several comfortable nooks for reading or simply cuddling in the warm glow.

A woman in traditional garb, wearing the same felt dress as Poinessta, was seated behind a long desk.

"You are very welcome to Hotel Noel!" she began. "Please, are you seeking accommodation for this night?"

"Yes indeed." answered the doctor, as Rose stifled a yawn.

"Most excellent. We offer premier comfort for all of our intergalactic guests. Tea time and the tree trimming hour begins at two o'clock each day in the grand hall, but of course room service is available at any hour. If that is of interest to you, may I suggest a meal by one of our many grand fireplaces? The best bread and sausages are available and toasting forks are provided free of charge." She gestured to the hearth.

"I think just a bed for now…" the doctor responded, gazing lovingly at Rose's sleepy smile.

"Of course, good Sir." answered the receptionist. "Being quite a popular destination, Sir, I am afraid I can only offer you one room at this late hour, but you will find it most comfortable to be sure."

"No matter." Said the doctor.

"Wonderful!" the woman beamed. She scanned the doctor's credit stick and handed it back to him along with a large and ornate skeleton key. "To locate the suite ascend those stairs and make a left, if you please." She gestured towards a richly carpeted staircase near the fire.

"Right you are. Thanks very much!" said the doctor, putting an arm around the sleepy Rose and guiding her towards the staircase. Following the directions they had been given, Rose and the doctor arrived in front of a large set of double doors decorated with gold filigree. There was a sign on the left door that read _Christmas Eve Honeymoon Suite _in swirling script. The doctor swallowed hard, and Rose flushed pink.

"Weeeeelll," the doctor drew out his words to fill the awkward silence. "Last room open I guess. No newlyweds in tonight. In the room, that is… What I mean is, well I guess we'll just have to make do. Unless you don't want to, that is. We can always go back to the TARDIS, fly off somewhere where they have some newlyweds… erm…" the doctor trailed off lamely.

"No, it's fine!" Rose answered quickly. "I mean unless you…"

"No, no, I'm fine. I'm fine if you're fine. So I guess we're all fine then!" The doctor just stood there looking at Rose.

"Then shall we go in then? Asked Rose, waiting for the doctor to remember that he was the one holding the key.

"Right! In we go!" said the doctor. He was trying to act normal, well normal for the doctor, but Rose noticed that his hands were trembling as he unlocked the door. They both caught their breath at the sight before them when they entered. The centerpiece of the room was a grand sleigh bed, ornately carved out of the same dark wood that seemed to be omnipresent on this planet. There were mountains of fluffy white pillows and bolsters as well as a sumptuous looking red velvet duvet covering the bed. At the foot of the bed was a small seating area, with two wingback chairs and beyond that another fireplace blazed. Further on French doors opened out onto a heated balcony with crystalline non-melting ice sculptures. The doctor and Rose could see the snow falling softly out in the night. The whole effect was spectacular.

The doctor found himself, quite unusually, lost for words. Being in this beautiful place, on this beautiful night, with his beautiful Rose was overwhelming. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, drawing her close, and kiss her again like he had in the pub. The only thing stopping him was the thought that perhaps Rose might not want him to. Rejection was not something the doctor typically had to face. He was the last of the Time Lords, the one who decided the fate of worlds, and none of these humans had ever mattered to him this much. He was hardened by the time war, and it was only when Rose had taken his hand that first time in the department store, that his icy exterior began to melt. So now the doctor found himself in the tenuous position of wanting something he could not merely claim for himself. He wanted Rose, but he also needed her to want him. Despite his nine centuries of existence, this was the first time the doctor had ever felt so vulnerable.

Rose wasn't sure what to make of the doctor's silence. She had thought when they had kissed that perhaps his feelings matched her own, but now, standing before this amazing bed, she was unsure. Should she just grab him and kiss him? She wondered to herself. The thought was pleasant indeed, but then what if she had misread the situation, and the doctor decided to take her home? She didn't think her she could bear it, after just having found him again. Instead of impulsively jumping the doctor, Rose decided to play it safe and headed over to the wardrobe. When she opened the door she felt a tingling quickly sweep over her body as the clothing itemizer scanned her. Within seconds, her body type and preferences had been analyzed, and the empty rack filled with garments perfectly tailored just for her. God, she loved the future sometimes. She dug around looking for a pair of pajamas, preferably warm ones, but all she found was lingerie and a few tank tops. Hmmm, perhaps the wardrobe had sensed the atmosphere in the room during the scan… "Oh well," Rose thought, and she fished out a few things and headed for the bathroom. She changed next to the deep sunken tub, trying very hard not to think about what she and the doctor could do in there.

When she came back out the doctor was also prepared for bed in plaid flannel pajama and nothing else. Apparently, the wardrobe hadn't bothered to give the doctor any shirts. Rose's eyes skimmed over his slim, but toned torso longingly.

"What? You act like you've never seen a man in his jim-jams before!" said the doctor teasingly. But then he stopped suddenly as he took in the sight of his companion. Rose's lush curves were on full display. Her hips were hugged by a pair of black boy shorts, and her chest was heaving underneath the stretchy tank top she had chosen. She doctor swallowed again, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"You look…" he began, but Rose cut him off, embarrassed.

"I know, I know, but the wardrobe, and well…" usually it was the doctor who did the rambling, but Rose couldn't help it in her nervous state.

"Beautiful." The doctor finished his sentence breathily.

"Oh." Was all Rose could muster, and she blushed for the umpteenth time that evening.

The doctor came back to his senses, realizing that it would probably be a good idea to hop under the blankets quickly, unless he wanted to show Rose the full extent of his attraction to her. Rose crawled in on the other side, and the doctor sonic-ed off the lights. They both lay there in the dark, not touching, but lost in their own fantasies about the other.

It was hardly the first time they had shared a bed. Many situations had arisen on their adventures together that forced them to share close quarters, but this night felt different. It was their first night back together since everything that had happened at Canary Wharf. Not to mention that on all of the other occasions, they had been a little more dressed and not in a honeymoon suite. Despite the warmth from the fireplace, Rose was chilly in just her underthings. The doctor turned to her.

"You're shivering." He said, voice full of concern.

"M'cold" Rose responded. Well, he couldn't have that, thought the doctor. It was perfectly acceptable to warm up his companion, wasn't it? He took the chance, and put his arms around her. Rose sighed contentedly. The doctor took this as a good sign, and hesitantly pulled her closer into is body. Rose was more than willing, and happily positioned herself against her doctor. It was like the electricity of their kiss, except less urgent. They fit together perfectly, Rose's bum snuggled back into his hips, the doctor's long arm draped protectively around her shoulder. Rose yawned, her sleepiness returned now she was warm and comfortable.

"Goodnight, sweet Rose." The doctor whispered in her ear, and gently kissed the crown of her head.

"Goodnight, my doctor." Rose murmured just before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.


	7. Chapter 7- Sightseeing and Sweets

Hi everyone, sorry this chapter took so long. I hope you like it. Reviews are my bread and butter ;) Thanks!

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The morning dawned cold and clear. A fresh dusting of snow was on the ground from the night before, and luckily the wardrobe had provided warmer clothing for daytime. Rose and the Doctor strolled down the street arm in arm, Rose looking longingly at the many shops along the lane.

"Oooh Doctor, can we go there?" Rose asked, pointing to a storefront with delicate hand-blown glass ornaments hanging in the window.

"Alright," responded the doctor, "but let's stop by the tourist bureau first. I want to show you this planet properly." Rose just smiled in acquiescence. The tourist office was hard to miss, as it was the most decorated building on the block. Strings of flashing neon lights were hung all over the façade, and snow-Yulians of various sizes kept watch over a path made entirely of cinnamon sticks. The doctor grinned enthusiastically. Rose could see why he liked this place. It was zany and a little over the top, but charming, just like the doctor. The couple walked under an arch made of two enormous candy canes to enter.

"Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!" beamed a stout little man who was wearing a Santa hat, along with a button that said "Ask me about reindeer!" in several alien languages.

"Hiya!" said Rose, trying to stifle a giggle at the man's overenthusiastic greeting.

"Oh, la!" exclaimed the man, "I am detecting from your accent that you are a member of the human race? Is this not correct?"

"Yep," said Rose "Human all the way."

"I am mightily pleased to have you here, daughter of Earth. And of course your partner also!" the little man chuckled.

"Thank you!" the doctor rejoined. "So we're supposed to ask you about reindeer, then?" he gestured to the man's button.

"Oh, Sir! Yes, Sir!" the man could hardly contain his excitement. "The Ministry of Outside Visitors has recently begun offering spectacular safari tours through the wilds of Northern Tundra National Preserve! Oh you must embark upon this safari, Sir and Madam! It is to be quite thrilling, with many views of native wildlife. Penguin colonies, you will see, and polar bears, and of course the Reindeer! What a sight, when they take flight into the sky!" he gushed.

"Hold on a tic," Rose interrupted. "Take flight? You're telling me they've got actual flying reindeers on this planet?" she looked at the doctor.

"Of course they've got flying reindeers! Why, shouldn't reindeers fly?"

"Not on Earth they don't!" Rose exclaimed.

"Oh right. Well actually flying reindeer aren't that uncommon. They originated on this planet, but now they're found in many a solar system, as they've been exported extensively." Rose looked at the doctor skeptically.

"You're kidding me, right?" she asked cynically.

"Me? Would I kid you? Well, yes I would, but that's not the point. I'm not kidding now! Just ask this good fellow here!"

"Indeed, Miss," the little man assured her, "We are the original planet of the flying breed of arctic reindeer. And if I may say Sir, though it is true they have migrated away, it is a rare sight indeed to view a reindeer's flight upon their home world. As I said, it is only recently that visitors could travel through the reindeer preserve."

"Quite so." Agreed the doctor, who had not meant to insult the quality of flying reindeer, though they really were a dime a dozen. "What d'you say then, Rose? Shall we go on safari?" the doctor asked, with a grin.

"Um, yeah!" Rose said with a roll of her eyes. As if he even had to ask! Flying reindeer? This was even better than the time with the werewolf!

"Well then," said the doctor. "Two tickets please."

"Wonderful!" exclaimed the man, "Quite excellent! I am sure you and the lady will be quite diverted by the majestic creatures!" Silently the doctor thought that the majestic creature he would likely be most diverted by was Rose, but he nodded all the same. "May I interest you in the popular addition of a sea cruise? You will be treated to a shipboard dinner as you watch for puffins, and the illusive narwhals of our northern coast!"

"Ooooh!" the doctor said, and raised his eyebrows at Rose. She pursed her lips, and turned her head to the side slightly. "Don't tell me you'd rather go shopping!" the doctor whined, but at the word shopping Rose's face had lit up, and she nodded impishly. "Oh alright then," the doctor caved in. "But we're still doing the safari, yeah?"

"Oh yeah!" answered Rose, reassuring the doctor.

"Good." He answered with a smile.

"The train for Northern Tundra Preserve leaves from the town station at precisely noon, after which you will be transferred into your safari sleigh." The little man handed them each a large shiny golden ticket. "Enjoy and thank you!" he called as Rose and the doctor headed out the door.

"Perfect!" exclaimed Rose, when they had reached the street once more. "Just enough time to visit a few shops before the train. C'mon, Doctor!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the road playfully. Shopping wasn't one of the doctor's favorite pastimes. He couldn't understand why his companions always wanted to spend their time on alien planets in poky, old stores instead of out immersing themselves in the culture. Maybe it was a female thing, he thought. Still any activity was brightened considerably by Rose's presence. Whether shopping or being chased by blood sucking creatures from planet Nebulard, things were just better with Rose. So the doctor didn't put up much of a struggle when Rose dragged him into a store called "Tinsel and Trappings Ribbons and Wrappings." By the time he could even look around properly, Rose was already in a conversation with the manageress about the quality of a shimmering silver wrapping paper. The doctor rubbed his eyes in disbelief at the sheer number of papers and trimmings on display in the small store. Rolls and spools covered the walls from floor to ceiling, and one worker was having to climb a library style ladder to retrieve a roll of lacey ribbon from the top row. He had just started to admire a paper printed with oods in paper hats, when Rose came up behind him declaring it was time to move on. The doctor shrugged and followed her. The woman was on a mission to hit as many shops as possible before train time, and he wasn't about to get in the way.

Rose wound further down the street, passing storefronts advertising everything from sleigh repair to chimney sweeps. They entered the florist shop next, where the doctor nearly got lost in the hanging loops of evergreen garland, and tripped over a display of potted poinsettias. After that came the spice shop, where Rose went wild buying alien seasonings for her experimental cooking back in the TARDIS. The doctor's stomach churned, looking forward to some unusual flavors with trepidation. He definitely did not like this store, it made him sneeze. Thankfully, the next shop Rose chose to lead him to was decidedly less aggravating. The sweet shop smelled like the doctor's idea of heaven, if there was such a place. His ninth incarnation hadn't been as fond of sweets, but this body couldn't get enough of them. Rose often caught him with his fingers dipped in the jam jar, or taking a lick of whipped cream off of her plate during dessert. After much consideration, the doctor requested three cream cakes, a bag of jelly babies, and a pound of chocolate-orange fudge from the cashier.

"Good gracious!" Rose laughed, "You'll put on weight eating like that, Doctor." She cautioned.

"Nope!" the doctor responded merrily, "Time Lord metabolism!"

"Ugh," said Rose jealously, "Wish I had a Time Lord metabolism… I could stand to lose a few pounds." She thought back to her many, many orders of chips. The doctor suddenly became quite serious.

"Rose," he looked deeply into her eyes, "You are perfect, exactly as you are." She blushed and laughed unbelieving, but the doctor wouldn't allow her to brush off the compliment. "I mean it, Rose." He insisted. "Your curves… do things to me." Now it was the doctor's turn to blush. He hadn't meant to be so seductive, yet he needed Rose to know how beautiful she was. They shared a tense moment of silence, which was interrupted by the teller handing over the doctor's mountain of candy with a jolly "There you are, love!"

"Right! Great! Thanks!" blurted the doctor, breaking the tension. The clock tower outside started to chime twelve o'clock. "C'mon, Rose! Train time!" the doctor yanked Rose out of her stupor and they sprinted out of the sweet shop and toward the station.


	8. Chapter 8- Dashing Through the Snow

Thanks for your feedback and of course thanks for reading. Just FYI, I don't imagine there are going to be any big plot twists or anything coming up, so if you're waiting for that, sorry to disappoint. This is really just my fluffy imagination let loose... hope you like it.

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They made it just in time, and climbed aboard the hunter green steam engine as the whistle blew. Smoke billowed from the train as they chugged off on the track which wound its way through the forest and out of sight. It was crowded so Rose and the doctor had to squeeze down the aisle of several cars before they found seats. The train was cozy to the point of being just a little cramped as it was built for Yulians. There were many of the red and green diminutive natives riding the train, but they also spotted some obvious tourists, including some Adiposians and an Ood couple.

"Tea and biscuits?" a Yulian server offered them.

"Oooh, yes please!" answered Rose, and the doctor smacked his lips. As they settled down to their mid-day nosh, Rose and the doctor watched the snowy landscape sweep by the window.

"Jelly baby?" offered the doctor, extending the bag to Rose.

"Mmmm." She grabbed a handful. "All that shopping made me really hungry!"

"I'll bet!" the doctor laughed, "You appeared to be working quite hard at it." Rose frowned slightly at his teasing, but the doctor looked at her with those gorgeous brown puppy dog eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. She unintentionally gave a great yawn.

"Tired too." Noted the doctor. "I forget you humans require so much sleep…" he shook his head, marveling at the strange, but endearing needs of his little pink and yellow human. He put his arm around Rose's shoulders, inviting her to lie back on him. She snuggled into his chest gratefully and fell asleep. The doctor couldn't help it, but he enjoyed the looks of other travelers who assumed they were a couple. He kept his arms protectively around Rose for the entire trip, even though one was tingling uncomfortably.

It seemed to Rose that she had just shut her eyes when the doctor was waking her gently, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"C'mon sleepy-head, time to go see some flying reindeer!" cajoled the doctor. Rose grumbled unintelligibly, not wanting to leave the warm cocoon of the doctor's body and her dreams.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" the doctor was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. Rose couldn't help but grin. His childish enthusiasm was catching.

"Alright then, let's go!" she said. The doctor sprightly hopped down the train steps and held out his arms to help Rose. On the platform there was a large candy-striped sign reading "Reindeer Tours This Way!" in bold letters. They followed a line of red arrows away from the train and into a building where they found the tour desk. A small group of tourists where gathered there already. The aliens from the train were there, as well as some species that Rose couldn't identify. The doctor wasted no time in bounding up to the group and introducing them. Just then, a green Yulian man stepped up onto the desk, in order to be seen by the tourists of varying height.

"Hello, if you please, my name is Bernard and I will be your guide! This is the point of disembarkation for the Safari into the Northern Tundra Preserve! Please, if you all will produce your previously purchased tickets, we can be on our way." He shouted. Everyone rustled through their respective belongings, and proffered their shiny tickets. The tour guide jumped down from the desk and proceeded to examine and punch each ticket. Once this was done, he announced that the group should follow him as he ambled out of another door and out into the snow. In front of them stood a massive sleigh made of the ubiquitous dark wood accented with gold. Bernard slid a set of steps up to the side of the sleigh and motioned to the Oods standing in front that they should board. They climbed up and headed to the back of four rows of seats inside the sleigh. There were thick fur blankets and hot water bottles laying in every row to keep the guests warm on the journey. Rose and the doctor were the last to board. They sat right up front near the driver who held thick leather reins that led to the most curious beasts.

"Doctor, what are they?" Rose whispered, not wanting to seem stupid to the other passengers.

"They're called myrrhias , sort of like a horse in your world if you like, they're the Yulian's beast of burden. Dead useful they are, they can pull up to three times their own body weight." He answered, and Rose wondered if there was anything in the universe that the doctor didn't know all about. The myrrhias looked vaguely like Shetland ponies, small with a long fluffy mane, but that was where the resemblance ended. They had bright white fur that didn't quite sparkle but seemed to shimmer like a heat haze in the summer. Their manes were naturally a plum color, but it was hard to tell as they were ornately decorated with braids, and bells, and strings of tinsel woven in. Rose was startled when the little creatures suddenly took off in a brisk trot, picking up speed quite quickly. She grabbed the doctor's arm in anxiety, but he was laughing in delight as they cold air whipped around them. Reassured, Rose relaxed her grip and began to enjoy the ride.

"And we're off, Ladies and Gentlemen!" called out Bernard, the tour guide. He had pinned a voice amplifier to his collar, in order to be heard clearly by the passengers. "We are now entering Northern Tundra National Reserve." He announced and proceeded to give various facts about the history of the park and reindeer preservation on Christmas Planet.

"Oh, Doctor look!" Rose gasped, pointing up at a dramatic icy cliff. You could just make out the silhouettes of a reindeer herd sauntering along the ridge.

"Aha!" Bernard called "We have our first reindeer spotting of the safari! Very good, Madam!" Rose smiled. The sleigh moved on and the terrain became wilder. Ice bergs jutted up from the landscape and the sleigh moved briskly toward a glacier flow. Rose wondered how they would cross the ice, when they suddenly dipped and the passengers found themselves traveling through the glacier itself.

"This tunnel was dug by Yulians through the Great Northern Glacier three-hundred years ago for the transportation of goods and livestock." Bernard informed the group. "Now it is used only by tourists." It was a breathtaking sight. Rose couldn't take her eyes off of the shifting pastel colors that rippled over the icy walls of the tunnel.

"Oh Doctor, look!" she said, but the doctor couldn't take his eyes off Rose. This was his favorite part of visiting any new planet, the look of awe on Rose's lovely face. Knowing he was the one who had brought her here made his hearts sing. Rose tore her eyes away from the beautiful show and turned to the doctor. She noticed the intensity of his stare, and flushed. Their eyes locked, and so many unspoken things passed between them. There was gentleness of love and adoration, but also the heat of longing and yet unfulfilled passion. If only they were alone… thought the doctor, he knew he wouldn't be able to restrain himself. He believed now that Rose wanted him too, and it drove him to the edge of madness not being able to act on his desires. Instead he settled for holding her hand and formulating plans for what he would do to Rose tonight.

Rose was brought back to her senses, blinking in the bright light as the sleigh emerged from the ice tunnel. She looked up confusedly as a honking, squawking sound reached her ears.

"Penguins, Rose!" the doctor declared excitedly. They had come out upon an open plain that was filled with the pudgy black and white birds. They looked just like earth penguins, waddling around, some sliding on their slippery bellies. Rose was laughing, but covering her ears.

"Why are they so noisy?" she asked. It was Bernard who answered her question.

"It is the season of mating for this penguin colony." He announced to the sleigh at large. "They are using their throat calls to locate the appropriate partner for egg production."

"That doesn't sound very romantic…" Rose mused.

"Oh but it is romantic!" the doctor countered her quietly. "Penguins are notoriously loving, and they mate for life." He whispered in her ear. "They're singing to each other. Each has their own, unique song and they sing and sing until they find the penguin whose song harmonizes just right with their own. See Rose, they're all singing their little penguin hearts out hoping to find their perfect companion."

Rose's breath hitched. She could feel the doctor's lips hovering tantalizingly close to her ear. She turned her head so that their mouths were just inches apart. "And what about you, Doctor?" she asked boldly, "Have you found your perfect companion?"

"Oh yes," he murmured fiercely, and he kissed her.


	9. Chapter 9- Claus and Effect

Thanks for sticking with me guys! I think the next chapter will be the last one. I really had fun with this chapter, hope you do too! Let me know :)

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A little while later found the doctor and Rose standing on a snowy hill looking down into a valley where a herd of Yulian reindeer peacefully grazed. The tour sleigh had made a stop so that its inhabitants could take photos and collectively ooh and ahh at the creatures. Both Rose and the doctor were grinning like fools in relief of having their mutual attraction finally confirmed. They were holding hands, as usual, but this time they both knew it to be more than friendly. They hadn't kissed again, or even really discussed the new turn their relationship had taken, the sleigh was quite noisy after all. Rose was anticipating the coming evening with equal parts excitement and anxiety, not knowing how the doctor would act when they were in private. The doctor on the other hand, let his mischievous imagination run wild, as he imagined all sorts of things he would do with Rose now that she was his. They were both brought back to the present by the delighted squeal of an Adipose who had spotted a reindeer launch itself into flight.

"That's really mental!" exclaimed Rose. "I can hardly believe what I'm seeing. I expected to see all sorts of mad aliens traveling with you, but never once did I think I would see a flying reindeer. Flying saucers, maybe, but _reindeer_? Definitely not." The doctor chuckled. "Next thing, I bet you're gonna say Father Christmas lives down the road from here!" now Rose laughed.

"Weeeelll, as a matter of fact…" began the doctor.

"No _way_!" she smiled incredulously.

"It's true! I know Father Christmas! We're mates. I've known him for ages! In fact I was going to suggest we pop in on him while we're here and all."

"We're going to meet Santa?" asked Rose, dumfounded.

"Yup." The doctor responded, popping the p. Rose just laughed and shook her head in amazement. "The trick is going to be getting away from this lot." The doctor motioned to the Bernard and the tour group.

"We're not finishing the tour?" asked Rose surprised.

"Nah, you know me, I like a bit of adventure. Getting off the beaten track and all. It's a bit of a hike to Nick's village, but I think you'll manage it." The doctor said.

"Nick?" Rose was confused.

"Yeah, Nick!" the doctor exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Saint Nick, you know Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Babbo Natale!" he rattled off.

"Ohhh" Rose rolled her eyes. The doctor pulled rose over to the tour guide.

"Many pardons, Bernard," the doctor began, "but my companion and I will have to make an unexpected departure from the safari route, and continue on foot."

"But Sir!" began the little man in shock.

"Not that it hasn't been a fabulous trip!" The doctor quickly added, trying not to cause offense. "It's been gorgeous, best trip of my life, fantastic really!" he gushed.

"Sir, I must caution you that your safety cannot be assured if you leave the sleigh! You are not authorized to wander the preserve without proper supervision of a trained guide." Bernard puffed out his chest.

"Oh, but we are authorized!" the doctor exclaimed, pulling out his trusty psychic paper. "See here, didn't I mention? It's right here the doctor and Rose Tyler, authorized to wander!" he grinned madly.

"Oh, but, my goodness…" the Yulian sputtered. "I had no idea you were reindeer experts employed by the park supervisor! Please forgive me Sir and Madame!"

"Well, no harm done!" quipped the doctor cheerily. "We'll just be on our way then."

"Of course, of course Sir, and if I may offer, please take the sleigh's emergency snow shoes with you, to ease your travels."

"Excellent!" responded the doctor.

After a few frustrating minutes of trying to figure out the many straps and snaps needed to get the snowshoes on properly, the doctor gave up and turned to Rose. She couldn't help but take pity on him with those big puppy dog eyes and pouting lip. She laughed and did up the shoes for him. They strode down the snowy hill and into the valley alongside the herd. Several of the reindeer were now in flight, zooming about overhead. This appeared to be a training exercise as there were several adorable reindeer calves were being nudged into the air by their mothers. One at a time they hovered a few feet above the ground and then plonked back down roughly into the snow. It would be a few years before they developed the graceful flying gait of the older deer. Rose couldn't help but coo over the fluffly little calves. The doctor rolled his eyes at her, but inwardly loved how sweet and nurturing Rose was. Fleetingly he imagined what it would be like to have a child with Rose, but then pushed the idea away as it was practically impossible. _Don't be ridiculous._ He thought to himself. Even if it were possible, the Time Lords would roll in their graves at the unbearable thought of one of their own breeding with a stupid ape.

Rose and the doctor huffed and puffed up another snowy hill and stopping at the crest to catch their breath, could see a small village in the distance. It wasn't really a village, thought Rose, just a little cluster of houses really. As they got closer, Rose saw a few other buildings as well. In addition to the few houses there was a larger structure that looked like a factory of some kind and a tiny stone church with a charming steeple. The glow of candles illuminated the stained glass windows and the voices of people singing carols reached the doctor and Rose. Further up the snowy path, they came to a larger cottage with a reindeer paddock on the side. There was a little letterbox that read "Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas S. Claus". The doctor nudged Rose triumphantly with his elbow.

"Told ya so!" he said. Rose scowled for a moment rubbing her sore arm.

"Hmph." She muttered. "I hope a get a toy after all this…" she said teasingly.

"That all depends, Rose…" the doctor said, his voice becoming husky. "Have you been nice or _naughty_?"

Rose's knees turned to jelly at these words. My God, was the doctor really talking dirty to her? This was a side of him she never expected… but perhaps she could get used to it, she thought to herself. Without missing a beat, the doctor strode up to the house and rapped on the door. It was opened by a pleasantly plump Yulian woman in traditional garb. A smile lit up her face upon recognizing the doctor.

"Doctor! How perfectly lovely to see you again. Nick will be delighted! Do come right in, and you too dear." she added kindly to Rose. She led them through the entryway and into a cozy kitchen. "Sit yourselves down right here, and I'll go get Nick." She gestured to the worn table and chairs. "Oh and please help yourselves to some cookies!" she added on her way out of the room. Rose's mouth watered at the spicy smell rising from a plate of sweetly decorated gingerbread Yulians in the center of the table. She didn't need to be told twice. As she was cramming a third cookie into her mouth, Mrs. Claus returned with white-bearded man that had to be Father Christmas.

"Doctor!" he boomed in a deep, jolly voice. "So good to see you!"

"Hello, Nick!" the doctor shook Santa's hand. "How've you been keeping?"

"Very well, very well, and yourself?" replied Nick. "I see you've brought a young lady." He looked from the doctor to Rose with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Ah, right, Rose, meet Father Christmas!"

"How'd you do, Sir?" Rose stood up.

"Delightful to meet you, my dear!" Santa Claus offered his hand to Rose. She shook it, and once again wondered at the surreal quality of her life since she met the doctor. "Won't you come warm yourselves by the fire?" Nick offered.

"I'm afraid I can't join you." Mrs. Claus said. "I've promised to deliver baked goods around the town this afternoon. But please give my best regards to the TARDIS." She looked to the doctor.

"Of course." He answered. Rose and the doctor followed Nick into the sitting room where they had to snuggle up on the couch due to its Yulian size. They didn't mind.

"So how is the good old TARDIS?" Saint Nick asked.

"Oh, she's well." Answered the doctor. "The usual bits and bobs always need repairs, but she's a good egg, the TARDIS."

"Indeed." Confirmed Nick. "After all, if it wasn't for her, I would be out of a job…"

"Huh?" said Rose.

"You might not know this," Santa informed her, "but your doctor helped get my career off the ground many years ago. He leant me a little Gallifreyan technology from the TARDIS, and the rest is history as they say."

"Wait, you mean that's how you do it? Visit everyone on earth in one night? With Time Lord science?" Rose asked amazed.

"Not just everyone on earth," he corrected her "I visit lots planets these days." He chuckled, and Rose noticed that his belly did indeed shake like a bowl full of jelly. She was rendered quite speechless at this new revelation, and the doctor patted her knee soothingly. Perhaps this was too much for his pink and yellow companion to take in.

"Alright, Rose?" he asked. She found her voice again

"It's just bloody amazing, s'all."

"I have to agree with you, Miss Tyler, if I say so myself." Santa chuckled some more. It wasn't long before the conversation turned to gadgets and techno-babble. The doctor and Nick where comparing the top speed of the magic sleigh versus the TARDIS. Rose's gaze wandered to the bookshelves that covered the walls of the room. She got up to examine the cracked leather bindings of some books that looked to be at least three-hundred years old.

"So tell me Doctor, what do you want for Christmas?" Nick asked once Rose was out of earshot. The doctor didn't hesitate. He locked his eyes on Rose lovingly,

"Tell you what, Santa… I think I've already got it."


	10. Chapter 10- Christmas Surprises

**Here it is, the last chapter! Thanks so much for sticking with me. I hope you enjoyed the story. FYI, I plan to write a lemony epilogue of sorts ****_for ADULTS only, _****if you're interested in that kind of thing. So look out for that. Thanks again!**

* * *

The train ride back to town was a quiet affair. Both the doctor and Rose were worn out from their eventful day, and also somewhat tongue-tied, neither sure what to say about their foray into the world of romance. Still, Rose leaned against the doctor contentedly. The doctor enjoyed the weight of her against him, and the sweet smell of her hair that was distinctly Rose. She once again drifted off to sleep lulled by the gentle rocking of the train as it cut its way through the snowy wilderness. Though not one for naps, the doctor closed his eyes also, and used the time to plan out this evening's surprise for Rose.

As the train pulled into the station, he once again woke her with a gentle kiss, this time on the brow. Unlike last time, she sat up and kissed him back sweetly on the cheek. The doctor felt heat rise to his face at the innocent, loving gesture. He loved how Rose could be at once seductive and pure. There were many faces to his would-be lover and he intended to see and worship them all. The doctor led Rose back to their shared suite at the Hotel Noel. Rose blushed beautifully as the doctor closed the door and turned to face her. She felt slightly embarrassed and looked down at her snow boots, but then seemed to gather her courage and lifted her head to look fiercely into the doctor's eyes. Those eyes, so impossibly deep as if they held the entirety of space and time, at once intimidated and aroused Rose. In them she could see the oncoming storm that threatened to engulf her, and oh how she longed to let it sweep her away. She walked slowly up to the doctor and laid her burning lips on his cool ones. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, at first tenderly and then becoming frantic as Rose opened herself to him. Tongues danced and explored, and their three hearts beat together in a quick rhythm. They only broke the kiss when Rose had to come up for air. They both stood back, panting slightly. Rose's lips were swollen and her hair mussed, and the doctor thought she had never looked sexier. He wanted desperately to throw her on the bed and claim her in that instant, but with a wrench he pulled himself back to sense.

"Rose, we can't…" he started. Her face fell instantly at his words.

"But, why?" she panted out.

"No, I mean, we can, of course we can, and we will. At least, I think we will…" the doctor rambled, trying to explain. "It's just that there's this surprise for you, you see. I've, er… well I've sort of orchestrated this whole dinner and everything… damn." The doctor finished lamely, as he was once again rendered speechless by Rose's allure. She was startled to hear him curse, as he rarely used any expletives, but it thrilled her a bit to know that it was she who had caused it.

"Dinner?" she asked. "Can't we eat later? I'm not even hungry, really." Just as she finished her sentence, Rose's stomach growled loudly, belying the statement. The doctor raised his eyebrow cynically, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh alright then, I am hungry. But don't think that lets you off the hook, Doctor! I thoroughly expect this to continue later." she declared.

"Fantastic!" the doctor breathed, making Rose think of his leather-clad former self with fondness. They smiled at each other. "Right then, Rose Tyler!" the doctor clapped his hands, "Time to get dressed!" The wardrobe provided both Rose and the doctor with evening wear, and Rose scurried with her clothes into the bathroom once again, so as not to tempt the doctor to skip dinner. She really was hungry. Half an hour later, the doctor was dressed and pacing back and forth in front of the bathroom door. "Roooooseeee!" he whined, "Aren't you ready yet?"

"Almost, be patient!" she called out to the doctor. She rolled her eyes at his restiveness. He could be like a little boy sometimes. She put the finishing touches on her makeup and surveyed her image in the mirror. Rose looked good, and she knew it. The wardrobe had given her a gorgeous gold dress that was shirred in just the right places. A serious of straps wove over her chest and shoulders holding up the garment and leaving her back exposed. Her blonde waves were pinned up in a graceful chignon. Rose smiled to herself, and silently thanked the wardrobe. The dress had given her just the boost of confidence that she needed for this evening.

She pulled open the bathroom door saying, "Alright, I'm ready! Let's go, I'm hungr…" she stopping mid-word. There stood the doctor, wearing a perfectly tailored suit jacket… and a kilt. "Bloody hell!" swore Rose.

"Too much? I thought it might be too much… But she wouldn't give me anything else, dunno why." mumbled the doctor.

"You look amazing!" Rose managed to get out. She had never imagined the doctor in a kilt before, but damn… He was absolutely dashing.

"Oh, you think so?" the doctor preened. "You're not too bad yourself, Miss Tyler."

"Wouldn't be better off in a bin bag?" Rose asked cheekily, referring to the doctor's previous comment.

"Ugh, why did I ever say that?" The doctor looked up at the ceiling, then back at Rose. "I'm so sorry, Rose. I'm a right idiot."

"Yes, you are." Answered Rose, "But I love you anyway." She smiled. There was a pause and the atmosphere became serious. Rose could have kicked herself for saying those three words again. She hadn't even been thinking; they just slipped out. Rose opened her mouth to say something, anything that would cut the tension, but the doctor stopped her. Now was the time, he thought to himself. He had to say it. He _wanted_ to say it.

"Rose Tyler," he began. She held her breath. "I love you." A tear rolled down his cheek, this time from the relief of finally finishing the sentence. Rose was crying now too. "I should have told you long ago." The doctor went on. "I love you, I love you, I love you…" the doctor whispered over and over, relishing his new freedom to say the words. He pressed his forehead against Rose's, and wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. They stood like this for a while, just holding each other and swaying slightly with emotion. It was Rose's stomach that ultimately ended the moment, as it growled again angrily. They both laughed. Rose wiped her eyes, smiling.

"Makeup's ruined…" she hiccuped.

"You look beautiful." responded the doctor. Rose chuckled.

"Just give us a mo'…" she said and returned to the bathroom to fix her smudged mascara. Finally, the couple made it out the door and walked arm in arm to a little restaurant that Rose hadn't noticed before. Luckily it wasn't far because Rose's golden stilettos, though quite sexy, were not exactly comfortable. Etched onto the glass window were the words "Holly and Ivy, fine cuisine". Rose had her hand on the door, about to open it, when the doctor unexpectedly stopped her, and pulled out a flowing silk scarf from his trans-dimensional pocket.

"What…?" Rose began.

"Well, I did say it was a surprise." Answered the doctor with a crafty look in his eye. He leant towards Rose and wrapped the scarf around her eyes, tying it snugly behind her head. "Alright?" he asked.

"Alright? Doctor, I can't see anything!" Rose complained.

"That's sort of the idea." Replied the doctor cheekily. Rose just hmphed. Despite her outward expression of frustration, Rose actually found the whole sensation of being vulnerable quite thrilling. Her other senses where heightened by the sudden plunge into darkness. She could feel every fiber in the doctor's jacket sleeve as she held on to his arm for balance. The doctor brought his mouth to Rose's ear, and she could feel his breath as well as the scratch of his slight stubble against her skin.

"Are you ready, Rose?" he whispered huskily. She could do nothing but nod in response. The doctor led her forward, catching her when she stumbled slightly. After a few steps, the doctor's moved behind Rose and worked the knot loose. The blindfold fell away, revealing a beautiful table set for two. It was a magical scene. The entire restaurant was empty of people, but filled with glowing candles. Sheer silver curtains floated down around the table creating an almost misty look to the air. In addition to the hundreds of candles, there were vases and bowls full of white and pink roses and rose petals scattered over the table top as well. The entire back wall of the restaurant was an enormous window that looked out onto frosty moors gilded by moonlight.

"How did you… I mean, when… I, where is everyone?" Rose asked, struggling for words.

"Oh, er, I might have rented out the entire restaurant for us." answered the doctor, slightly embarrassed. He hoped it wasn't too much. "Do you like it?" he asked tentatively. _Like it?_ Rose snorted. _Like_ wasn't even close to explaining what she was feeling. It was like being inside of a dream, a beautiful dream from which she never wanted to wake up.

"It's breathtaking." She answered, truthfully. "I can't believe you did this." The doctor smiled relieved. He quickly moved to pull out a silver velvet chair for Rose. She sat, still trying to take everything in. As soon as the doctor was seated across from her, three Yulians in white chef's uniforms came out carrying silver trays. They wordlessly set them down on the table and removed the covers revealing a first course of smoked salmon, caviar, and little crusty rounds of bread. The servers bowed and returned to the kitchen.

"I hope you like the food. It's a fixed menu, as I had to order it in advance." The doctor said apologetically. He soon realized he had no cause for worry as Rose was already spooning the caviar onto her plate. There was a bucket of ice already cooling a bottle of champagne next to the table, and the doctor popped the cork and poured them both sparkling glasses. The meal was incredible, course after course of delights were brought out, including many traditional Christmas favorites. There was turkey, roast goose, and the repast was concluded with tiny mince pies and a steaming plum pudding. Throughout the feast the doctor and Rose talked and laughed, enjoying the exquisite food, atmosphere, and most of all each other's company. They head chef came out to greet them, and shook hands with the doctor. They congratulated him on his cuisine, and thanked him for the wonderful evening.

"Time to go?" Rose asked the doctor, in anticipation of finishing what they had started earlier in the honeymoon suite.

"Not quite…" said the doctor, and he motioned towards the starry sky out the window. Suddenly a shot of golden sparks flew into view and exploded overhead in a glittering shower. Then another, and another. Silver, gold, red, and green fireworks illuminated the sky. Rose squealed in delight, watching the show. The doctor kept his eyes on her. He was full of happiness that the evening had been a success, and excitement at the prospect of getting Rose back to the room. Once the last rocket had fizzled away into the night, Rose looked across at the doctor. His eyes were hooded with desire, and suddenly all thoughts of fireworks, or anything else, were wiped from her mind. Her love and desire for the doctor filled her entire being. They both stood simultaneously, ready to be alone. With a nod to the staff, the doctor led his Rose out of the restaurant and into a new adventure.


End file.
